asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) for how long nine Kikuyu women, details of whose cases are in his possession, were detained in the Kingsway Police Station cells, Nairobi, after having been detained as being in Nairobi without permits;(2) how many Kikuyu, Embu, and Meru have been removed from the Young Men's Christian Association Hostel, Nairobi, for the purpose of screening;(3) what charges were laid against six Kikuyu women, details of whose cases are in his possession, who were detained, with servants of the Young Men's Christian Association, in Nairobi.

Seventeen Kikuyu, Embu and Meru tribesmen and nine women were arrested and removed from the Y.M.C.A. hostel in Nairobi. The women were held in Kingsway Police Station for 24 days while investigation of their illegal presence in Nairobi was carried out. In the result, no charges were brought against them and they were repatriated to the Kikuyu Reserve. The Advisory Committees recommended that five of the tribesmen should continue to be detained.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when he will move for the appointment of a Select Committee on the Naval Discipline Act.

Not before 6th May.

asked the Postmaster-General the difference in cost between ordinary telephone cords and the elastic non-kinking type which he has tested; and whether, as new telephones are installed, he will authorise the use of the new type of cord.

The elastic cords cost almost twice as much as the ordinary ones, and they have to be renewed more often because they wear out more quickly. We plan to make them available, on payment of a supplementary charge, as soon as we can spare the labour to fit them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider continuing the Grade Assessment Scheme for fruit, and requiring that full information be provided on each inspection as to the condition, date of package and conformity with the specified grade.

I have decided to continue a Grade Assessment Service on the present lines. Information is given in confidence to the grower about the condition of the consignment and how it compares with the recommended grades. The date of packing is not known to my inspectors, because the work is carried out in the wholesale markets.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the cost of maintaining diplomatic establishments and public information services in Germany is so much higher than in most other countries.

The disproportion is accounted for by the special conditions obtaining in Germany as a result of the occupation. As was explained in the White Paper commenting on the Seventh Report from the Select Committee on Estimates (Cmd. 9377), Her Majesty's Representative in Bonn has responsibilities which do not fall on a normal embassy, some of which will continue after the occupation ends, and these responsibilities inevitably affect the size of the diplomatic establishments.It should be noted, moreover, that expenditure in the Estimates under the heading "Public Information Services" includes, in the case of Germany, the cost of cultural relations activities which in other countries are undertaken by the British Council. The Drogheda Committee of Inquiry into the Overseas Information Services, whose report was summarised in Command 9138, examined the public information services in Germany and found that in view of the special importance of Germany and of Anglo-German relations a substantial organisation should be maintained for a considerable period. Her Majesty's Government are in general agreement with these conclusions and recommendations.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people in Lincoln were in receipt of National Assistance on the most recent convenient date.

At 29th March, 1955, 4,037 regular weekly Assistance grants were being paid in the National Assistance Board's Lincoln area, which extends beyond the county borough boundary.